Speed Of Passage Research Articles

On the Dynamic Characteristics and the Soil Compaction under the Influence of the Mole Plow

The development of many processes associated with changes in soil properties in the construction of irrigation and civil engineering requires justification of the geometric parameters and modes of operation of the tools, which are used to implement these processes. One of the tools for the implementation of such processes is mole plough. To conduct the research the authors have chosen a model in which the soil is considered as a viscoelastic medium, and can be formalized by Kelvin-Voigt model in solving the task of interaction of mole plough with soil. In the course of research we have built the physical equations that relate the stress components with strain rate taking into consideration modules of elasticity, viscosity and time of loading by using the method of analytical transformations the generalized Hooke's law and the equations for linear connection components of stress with strain rate. The authors obtained the stress components of the soil at the contact surface, depending on its mechanical properties, geometric parameters of the mole plough and its speed of movement. The time of deformation was determined from the equation of speed of passage of the wave stresses in a continuous medium. Application of regression equations that relate the changes in soil density with hydrostatic and maximum tangent stress allowed predicting changes in soil density depending on the geometrical parameters of the mole plough, the speed of its movement and mechanical properties of the soil. Finally, we obtained the components of resistance forces to the movement of mole plough in the soil depending on the mechanical properties of the soil, as well as geometrical parameters and speed of tool movement. To sum up, on the basis of the analysis of the dynamics of contact interaction of mole plough with soil the components of normal and shear stresses of the soil at the contact surface are installed. We have determined the direction and value of soil compaction and components of the resistance forces of the soil the movement of mole plough depending on its geometric parameters, the speed of the translational movement and the mechanical properties of the soil. The change functions of the density of the soil under the influence of the mole plough were obtained.

Hydrodynamic fish modeling for potential-expansion evaluations of exotic species (largemouth bass) on waterway tunnel of Andong-Imha Reservoir

The objectives of this study were to establish a swimming capability model for largemouth bass using the FishXing (version 3) program, and to determine the swimming speed and feasibility of fish passage through a waterway tunnel. This modeling aimed to replicate the waterway tunnel connecting the Andong and Imha Reservoirs in South Korea, where there is a concern that largemouth bass may be able to pass through this structure. As largemouth bass are considered an invasive species, this spread could have repercussions for the local environment. Flow regime of water through the waterway tunnel was calculated via the simulation of waterway tunnel operation, and the capability of largemouth bass to pass through the waterway tunnel was then estimated. The swimming speed and distance of the largemouth bass had a positive linear function with total length and negative linear function with the flow rate of the waterway tunnel. The passing rate of small-size largemouth bass (10–30 cm) was 0% at a flow of 10 m3/s due to rapid exhaustion from prolonged upstream swimming through the long (1.952 km) waterway tunnel. The results of FishXing showed that the potential passing rate of large size largemouth bass (>40 cm) through the waterway tunnel was greater than 10%; however, the passage of largemouth bass was not possible because of the mesh size (3.4 × 6.0 cm) of the pre-screening structures at the entrance of the waterway tunnel. Overall, this study suggests that the spread of largemouth bass population in the Imha Reservoir through the waterway tunnel is most likely impossible.

Differential Impact of Anniversary-Severe Cyclones on the Water Quality of a Tropical Coastal Lagoon

Mapping spatio-temporal dynamics of suspended load in a lagoon before-during-after a cyclone is crucial for monitoring sudden nutrient enrichment and associated processes such as algal blooms and siltation. However, not all cyclones produce similar impact on a coastal lagoon, some trigger algal blooms after passage while others just increase the overall turbidity. Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon, Chilika Lagoon, India was hit by two anniversary-severe cyclones Phailin (12 October 2013) and Hudhud (12 October 2014) recently. Their impacts were analysed with respect to physical, biological and meteorological factors which favour or restrict a phytoplankton bloom after the passage of a storm. Moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer surface reflectance data were used to examine the spatio-temporal variability in total suspended sediment (TSS) and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration pre- and post-cyclone. Comparative results revealed that Phailin was associated with higher rainfall, wind speed and surface runoff compared with Hudhud. These factors contributed to higher TSS concentration in all sectors of the lagoon post-Phailin compared with post-Hudhud. Extreme TSS, limited light, high rainfall and runoff and increased flushing rate post-Phailin restricted the likelihood of a phytoplankton bloom in the lagoon, a commonly reported phenomenon after the passage of a cyclone. In contrast, sufficient light availability due to lower TSS, low runoff and flushing and stable wind supported a phytoplankton bloom post-Hudhud. The observed differential impacts were linked to the individual cyclone’s characteristics such as differences in landfall locations, wind speed, trajectory after the landfall, differences in rainfall rate and surface runoff and speed of passage.

Development Traps and Escaping Development Traps: What Can We Learn from Freedom of Information Laws?

ABSTRACTIn this talk, I discuss my previous research on the relationship between political competition and the passage of Freedom of Information (FOI) laws. In this previous work, using data on Mexican states, I find that political competition is an important determinant of the speed of passage of FOI laws. I then discuss a larger research project that examines all FOI requests made to the Mexican national government and investigate descriptive statistics related to ProMéxico, Mexico’s trade promotion agency. I conclude by arguing that FOI laws should be employed more frequently in the study of international trade.

Friends or Foes? How Social Movement Allies Affect the Passage of Legislation in the U.S. Congress*

This article considers the role of social movement allies in Congress in advancing proenvironmental legislation. We argue that compared to sponsors of legislation who hold moderate views, sponsors with extreme ideological positions will be less likely to produce legislation desired by the environmental movement. We also argue that protest and organizational advocacy by constituents will increase the rate at which sponsors enact environmental legislation. Using event history techniques that follow over 12,000 environmental bills from 1973–1996, we find support for the argument that environmental bills are more successful when sponsored by legislators who have environmental voting records closer to the median voter in Congress, compared to bills sponsored by representatives holding more extreme positions. We also find that the number of environmental lobbyist organizations has a positive effect on the speed of enactment of environmental legislation, but that protest by constituents does not affect the speed of the bill's passage.

Clays as dietary supplements for swine: A review.

Clays are crystalline, hydrated aluminosilicate molecules composed of alkali and alkaline earth cations along with small amounts of various other elements. The best-known are montmorillonite, smectite, illite, kaolinite, biotite and clinoptilolite. The molecules in these clays are arranged in three-dimensional structures creating internal voids and channels capable of trapping a wide variety of molecules. As a result of this structure, clay minerals are regarded as a simple and effective tool for the prevention of the negative effects of many toxic compounds. Dietary supplementation with clays has been shown to improve weight gain and feed conversion in pigs. Where improvements in performance have been noted, one of the most likely explanations for the improvement is the fact clays increase nutrient digestibility. Clays reduce the speed of passage of feed along the digestive tract which allows more time for digestion. Feeding clays also causes morphological changes in the intestinal mucosa such as an increase in villus height and an increase in the villus height to crypt depth ratio. These changes increase the surface area of the gastrointestinal tract thus increasing nutrient digestibility. Several studies have indicated that feeding clay reduces the incidence, severity and duration of diarrhea in pigs. The mechanism for the reduction in diarrhea is likely due to increases in the numbers of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus and decreases in Clostridia and E. coli in the small intestine of pigs fed clays. In addition, the numbers of pigs born alive and weaned, birth weight and weaning weight have been shown to be higher for sows fed clays. Several studies have indicated that clays can help mitigate the effects of mycotoxins. The aim of the present review is to focus on the various clays which have been given attention in recent research and to discuss their potential to improve pig performance.

Integrated design technology for computer vision systems in railway transportation

An integrated technology for coordinated design of all components of computer vision systems (CVS) including optical system, lighting, hardware, and software, is proposed. Key design solutions include a distributed architecture of hardware and software tools for video data acquisition/processing and archiving subsystem with access to multimodal post-processing, original pragmatic compression technology for video data on the rolling stock, a glare-free lighting system that ensures high illumination uniformity across the whole field of vision, the use of additional structured lighting for detecting train presence on the monitored railway track with recording of gaps between the cars. These design solutions make it possible to increase the acceptable speed of train passage through checkpoints, significantly improve the results of car number recognition in process of rolling stock monitoring as well as their reliability, extend CVS functionality, and develop new intelligent properties of the system.

Feeding rates of Balloniscus sellowii (Crustacea, Isopoda, Oniscidea): the effect of leaf litter decomposition and its relation to the phenolic and flavonoid content

The goal of this study was to compare the feeding rates of Balloniscus sellowii on leaves of different decomposition stages according to their phenolic and flavonoid content. Leaves from the visually most abundant plants were offered to isopods collected from the same source site. Schinus terebinthifolius,the plant species consumed at the highest rate, was used to verify feeding rates at different decomposition stages. Green leaves were left to decompose for one, two, or three months, and then were offered to isopods. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined for all decomposition stages. Consumption and egestion rates increased throughout decomposition, were highest for two-month-old leaves, and decreased again in the third month. The assimilation rate was highest for green leaves. The mode time of passage through the gut was two hours for all treatments. Ingestion of leaves occurred after two or three days for green leaves, and on the same day for one-, two- and three-month-old leaves. The speed of passage of leaves with different decomposition stages through the gut does not differ significantly when animals are fed continuously. However, it is possible that the amount retained in the gut during starvation differs depending on food quality. The digestibility value was corrected using a second food source to empty the gut of previously ingested food, so that all of the food from the experiment was egested. The digestibility value was highest for green leaves, whereas it was approximately 20% for all other stages. This was expected given that digestibility declines during decomposition as the metabolite content of the leaves decreases. The phenolic content was highest in the green leaves and lowest in three-month-old leaves. The flavonoid content was highest in green leaves and lowest after two months of decomposition. Animals ingested more phenolics when consumption was highest. The estimated amount of ingested flavonoids followed the same trend as assimilation rate. Flavonoids accounted for a large portion of total phenolics, and the estimated amount of flavonoids consumed was similar for one-, two- and three-month-old leaves. Our results suggest that the high phenolic and flavonoid concentrations in green leaves are feeding deterrents. Isopods may discriminate among concentrations of flavonoids and modify their consumption rates to maintain their intake of flavonoids when ingesting leaves with lower flavonoid content.

Putting on the Brakes or Pressing on the Gas? Media Attention and the Speed of Policymaking

Media attention is fundamental to the policy process and policy change in punctuated equilibrium theory. In this literature, media attention is usually conceptualized as fomenting or contributing to shifts in attention, positive feedback, and large‐scale policy change. This article extends how we understand the role of the media and punctuated equilibrium by arguing that media coverage can also contribute to negative feedback and stability in the political system. Media attention should also slow down the speed of policymaking and the momentum for policy change as new policy participants and problem definitions enter the debate. Using event history analysis, this article tests the effects of media coverage on the length of time it takes legislation, once introduced, to become law for public laws from the 109th U.S. Congress (2005–06). Findings provide support for media attention “putting the brakes” on policymaking. Controlling for other factors, the speed of bill passage slows down as media attention increases. This effect decays over time for high levels of media coverage.

Psychological Time: Interval Length Judgments and Subjective Passage of Time Judgments

Time perception encompasses different subjective time experiences, like: (1) interval length (duration) estimation, and (2) subjective passage of time judgments, defined as the perceived speed of time passage. This study aims to investigate and clarify the impact of task difficulty, temporal relevance and hedonic interest on both interval length judgments and subjective passage of time judgments. Another aim of the study is to investigate whether interval length judgments and subjective passage of time judgments are related. The results of the present study indicate that task difficulty and temporal relevance have a significant impact on interval length judgments. In terms of their interaction, the results show that when the task is simple, a high temporal relevance leads to interval length overestimates. Another major finding of this study was that subjective time passage judgments seem to be affected by the same factors as interval length estimation. In other words, results indicate that both temporal relevance and level of task difficulty have a significant impact on subjective time passage judgments. Also, we found a significant correlation between interval length judgments and subjective passage of time judgments, indicating that a longer interval estimate is associated with a slower perceived time passage.The results of the present study are discussed in terms of the attentional models of time perception.

Governance, Technology and the Search for Modernity in Kenya

An Information and Communications Technology policy that produces broad access quickly is better than one that does not. Accordingly, success in ICT policymaking can be measured by three empirical measures: speed of passage, scope of implementation, and distribution, as well as one normative measure, process. Process represents an important normative dimension of ICT policymaking. Process measures the extent to which the ICT policymaking involves the citizenry, as represented by individuals, civil society groups, local private sector groups, and ideally, urban and rural residents. Kenya is a case of slow speed of passage, low scope of implementation, low distribution, but high process. The political history of Kenya‘s ICT policymaking explains why this county, with such capable people and relatively open ICT policymaking, has struggled to keep up with its poorer neighbors.

Veto Players and Welfare State Change: What Delays Social Entitlement Bills?

AbstractIn contrast to the study of outcomes such as social spending, systematic comparative analysis of political processes underlying welfare state change is scarce. This study deals with the influence of government parties and second chambers as veto players in social entitlement legislation. It asks three questions regarding the duration and outcome of the legislative process at the parliamentary stage. Does the number of government parties or the ideological distance between them affect the passage of bills? Under which circumstances do second chambers have an influence? Does the ideological position of the leftmost governing party affect the speed of passage of bills in policy areas where there is pressure for retrenchment? The hypotheses are tested using an original dataset on social entitlement bills initiated in Belgium, Germany and the UK between 1987/88 and 2002/03. Event history analysis at the level of individual bills yields the following results: proposals initiated from among the government parties on the floor are delayed by a higher number of parties in government, by greater ideological distance between them, if the second chamber is controlled by the opposition and its approval is mandatory, if the left veto player is more rightwing and if the bills deal with expansionary or mixed policies. Cabinet bills, in contrast, are not affected by any of these factors. The results point to a number of further research questions and show that quantitative studies in comparative welfare state research can go beyond testing simple hypotheses with macro-level outcome data.

The Effect of Feather Eating on Feed Passage in Laying Hens

Previous work has demonstrated an association between feather pecking and feather eating in laying hens. This raised the question of the dietary effect of feathers. We hypothesized that feathers, as indigestible components, have similar effects as insoluble fiber, i.e., speeding up feed passage. Twenty-four adult laying hens each of a high (H) and a low (L) feather pecking line were kept in individual cages and fed a commercial pelleted diet ad libitum. One-half of each line was offered downy feathers (HF; LF) of the same genetic line. The other half of the birds were kept as control without access to feathers (H0; L0). After a 6-wk feeding period, 5 birds of each group were selected for determination of feed passage. The HF birds with the highest number of feathers eaten and the LF birds with the lowest number of feathers eaten were used. Selection of L0 and H0 birds was carried out at random. Feed passage was determined over 48 h using titanium dioxide as a marker. The number of feathers eaten was significantly higher in HF birds than in LF birds before (P < 0.001) and during 48 h of marker excretion (P < 0.02). The time when 50% of the plateau level of excretion of the TiO2 was reached differed significantly among all groups; the shortest time was observed for the HF group (P < 0.05). The results clearly show that feathers increase the speed of feed passage and, in this regard, show similar effects as insoluble fiber. The dietary effect of feathers may be a crucial factor in the development of feather pecking and the related damages to the feather cover in laying hens.

Treatment of Specific Developmental Reading Disorders, Derived from Single- and Dual-Route Models

A group of 21 participants with specific reading disorders was treated with a method derived from dual-route models and another group of 23 with a method derived from single-route models of reading. Both treatments were compared with four control treatments. The reading performance of each participant was compared with that of his or her chronological-age controls on the following variables: speed and accuracy of reading passage, isolated words and nonwords, and accuracy in homophone recognition. The treatment deriving from dual-route models produced significant improvements in the homophone recognition, compared to all other treatments. The treatment deriving from single-route models produced significant improvements, compared to all other treatments, in speed of word reading. Furthermore, these two treatments produced significant improvement with respect to all other treatments but one, in speed of nonword reading. These findings support the hypothesis that treatments derived from specific models of reading development are superior to other treatments. However the benefits obtained on the reading of isolated stimuli (words, homophones) did not significantly improve the reading of a passage. This fact suggests that treatments should include exercises involving passages or sentences.

A practitioner's guide to pasture quality

Pasture quality has a major effect on performance of grazing animals. Intake and nutritive value of pasture are major determinants of liveweight gain, milk production, health and reproductive performance of livestock. Digestibility and metabolisable energy concentration are the two most commonly used measures of nutritive value in New Zealand. In some situations protein, soluble carbohydrate, and mineral and trace element concentrations are also important. Fungal toxins, parasite larvae or other deleterious compounds lower pasture quality by compromising animal health. Potential intake of high nutritive value herbage is also greater because of rapid speed of passage through the animal. The major determinants of nutritive value are botanical and morphological composition, the environment in which the pasture is growing, and the regrowth period (i.e., herbage age). Legume leaf has higher nutritive value than grass leaf, leaf has higher quality than stem, and dead material has very low quality. Herbage grown at cooler times of the year has higher nutritive value than when grown in warmer conditions, and quality declines with age more slowly. Grass leaf declines in nutritive value as it ages, as does stem to an even greater extent. Soil moisture has only minor direct effects on nutritive value. Fertiliser application has direct effects such as increasing protein (by fertiliser nitrogen use) or trace element concentrations (if added to the fertiliser). It also has indirect effects through changing botanical and morphological composition. Keywords: digestibility, metabolisable energy, nutritive value, pasture quality

Food passage time and daily ration of bighead carp,Aristichthys nobilis, kept in cages

The food passage time of bighead carp weighing 13 to 2850 g was 7.1 to 12.8 h and the daily food ration was 5.7 to 2% of body weight at water temperatures ranging from 21 to 28.5°C. Food passage time tended to be shorter for larger fish because the speed of passage was substantially higher for the larger fish: 323 mm h−1 for the larger fish and 67 mm h−1 for smaller fish. Gut length increased with increased body length. Relative gut length showed great variability. It increased with increasing fish body length up to about 250 mm and remained similar for larger fish.

Food intake, conversion efficiency, and feeding behaviour of tobacco hornworm caterpillars given artificial diet of varying nutrient and water content

ABSTRACT Fifth stadium tobacco hornworm caterpillars, Manduca sexta (L.), given artificial diet diluted to varying extents with either cellulose or water compensated for the food's reduced nutrient content by eating more of it. This compensation was, however, in most cases not sufficient to maintain normal growth rates. When the water content of the diet was reduced, the insects ate less than the usual fresh weight of food but maintained their intake of nutrients. Nevertheless, growth rate was impaired. The insects were better able to compensate for dilution of their food with water than with cellulose.The efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI) was decreased when the diet was adulterated with cellulose. At moderate dilution (50% nutrient) this was due mostly to decreased approximate digestibility (AD), but at greater dilution (25% and 10% nutrient content) the efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD) was decreased. ECI was maintained when the water content of the diet was increased to give 50% nutrient concentration, but was decreased when water content was changed more radically (200%, 25% and 10% nutrient diets). This was due mostly to increased metabolic costs (decreased ECD) in all cases.The retention time of food in the gut was progressively decreased (i.e. speed of passage was increased) as nutrients were replaced by cellulose. By contrast, dilution of the diet with water resulted in only slight changes in retention time, except at extreme dilution (10% nutrient content) when retention time was reduced.Compensation of food intake was achieved by spending more (or less) time eating. Video analysis of feeding behaviour showed that there were significant changes in the length of feeding bouts and of interfeed gaps when caterpillars fed on diets of altered composition. For diets diluted with cellulose, changes in bout length and bout frequency contributed substantially to the increased time spent feeding on the adulterated food. For diets diluted with water, however, almost all of the compensatory change in behaviour was due to increased bout length, with bout frequency affected only slightly. This suggests that volumetric feedback contributes principally to the termination of feeding bouts in caterpillars, while nutrient flow may affect both the initiation and termination of feeding.

Perceived speed of time and task affect.

Task satisfaction is hypothesized to be a function of the perceived speed of time passage while performing a task. Perceived speed of time passage is manipulated both as an internal state (arousal) and as an environmental context (pattern of background rhythm). The results of an experiment (N = 80) support the hypothesis and are interpreted through an implicit model of task satisfaction, i.e., events that seem to occur quickly are perceived as pleasing. The theoretical implications of the findings are contrasted with other frameworks of explanation of task satisfaction.

Investigation of auranofin-induced diarrhoea.

Gastrointestinal function was assessed in six patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had developed diarrhoea on treatment with Auranofin. With the administration of Auranofin whole gut transit time decreased markedly (to 50% or less of control values) in five of six patients. The speed of passage of intestinal contents through the colon was certainly increased but attempts to assess transit through the upper gastrointestinal tract failed because the breath hydrogen method gave inconclusive results. There was no evidence of colitis and in all cases biopsy of the rectal mucosa appeared normal by light microscopy. In the five patients with rapid intestinal transit faecal weight increased more than two-fold (range +44 to +335%) although in only three cases were the changes sufficient to cause an increased frequency of bowel action. Overall the concentration of sodium in faecal water increased three-fold (mean values rose from 10.6 to 38.3 mmol/l). There were no significant changes in the concentrations of either potassium or chloride but bicarbonate was reduced. Faecal pH fell from a mean value of 7.5 (range 6.8-7.9) to a mean value of 6.4 (range 6.0-7.4). In the three patients who developed overt diarrhoea and in two others taking Auranofin the intestinal uptake of 51Cr-EDTA was increased on average three-fold and there was a similar change in the ratio of the absorption of lactulose/mannitol. The mean clearance of alpha-1-antitrypsin from the circulation into the gastrointestinal tract was doubled. These data indicate an increase in intestinal permeability. In contrast the absorption of vitamin B12 was unaffected and there was no significant change in the excretion of faecal fat although one patient developed mild steatorrhoea. Thus in a selected group of subjects with rheumatoid arthritis the administration of Auranofin caused diarrhoea in association with a reversible defect in intestinal permeability but without significant change in the absorption of nutrients.

Particle trapping during passage through a high-order nonlinear resonance

A theory of particle trapping and transport during a single passage through a high-order nonlinear resonance is developed. The main result is an expression for the trapping efficiency as a function of two scaling variables which are related to the resonance excitation width, the nonlinear detuning and the speed of passage through the resonance. The question of what phase-space region trapped particles are drawn from and the question of adiabaticity are discussed. The theory is then verified with a computer simulation for crossing a fifth order resonance.